Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Central Texas

Relieving Pain from Chronic Stress

The Hand Center at the Institute of Reconstructive Plastic Surgery of Central Texas has the ability to comprehensively treat all manner of disease, injury, and other conditions of the hand, wrist, and arm. Our specialized physicians are able to treat a wide range of hand conditions, including chronic stress injuries, such as carpal tunnel syndrome. Our Hand Center has helped many patients in Central Texas restore the form and function of their hand. If you suffer from carpal tunnel syndrome or any other repetitive stress disorder, please contact us to schedule a personal consultation.

What Is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

Carpal tunnel syndrome is a common ailment that occurs when the median nerve and tendons to your hand, housed in a narrow passageway called the carpal tunnel, are compressed at the wrist. The nerve traveling through the carpal tunnel actually controls sensations to the palm side of your thumb and fingers, while the nine tendons traveling through it allow you to bend your fingers. When there is pressure at the wrist significant enough to impact the nerve, you are likely to experience tingling, numbness, or pain in the hand or wrist, which may radiate up the arm. Eventually you may experience weakness in your hand or wrist, causing simple functions such as making a fist, gripping small objects, and performing daily tasks to become difficult or impossible.

Treatment for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

For most people, standard treatment options - such as wearing a wrist brace, taking anti-inflammatory medications or diuretics to decease swelling, receiving steroid injections, or doing stretching and strengthening exercises - can help relieve pain and numbness and restore normal use of their hands and wrists. Yoga has even been shown to reduce the pain and improve grip strength of carpal tunnel sufferers. However, for those who do not find relief after three months of conservative treatment, surgery may be recommended.

Surgery for carpal tunnel syndrome is one of the most common procedures performed in the United States. There are two types of carpal tunnel release surgical procedures: open release surgery and endoscopic surgery. Open release surgery is the most common procedure used to correct carpal tunnel syndrome and involves cutting the carpal tunnel ligament to enlarge the pathway and thus relieve the pressure on the nerve. Endoscopic surgery uses a thin, tube-like device with a camera that is guided through a small incision in the wrist or at the wrist and palm; this method lets the doctor see the structures in the wrist without having to make a large incision. Endoscopic surgery typically results in a faster recovery and reduces post-surgical discomfort. If you are considering carpal tunnel surgery, your surgeon will discuss all the options available to you and help you decide which one is optimal.

Learn More about Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Carpal tunnel syndrome can be a nagging, debilitating condition that can persist for years if left untreated. At Institute of Reconstructive Plastic Surgery of Central Texas, we are able to offer a variety of treatments, including surgery for carpal tunnel syndrome at our specialized Hand Center in Central Texas. Please contact us to schedule a personal consultation and discover how we can help alleviate your hand condition.